Animal-trap.



H. L. TRULL. ANIMAL TRAR,

APPLICATION FILED D3014, 1912.

2 75 Patented Sept.9,1913.

l7 v Lia. [7 r r unrrnn STATES PATENT. oiurroE,

HARVEY L. TBULL, 0E MART, TEXAS, AssIGNoE or ONE-HALF ro cLanEncE A. TRUEE,

0E WAGO, TEXAS.

I anman'raar.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented se t. 9;r91a.

Application filed December 14, 1912. Serial No. 736,829

ence being had to the accompanying drawings. t i

This invention relates to improvements n animal traps, andconsists of the novel fea 'tures of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully describedand claimed. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical self setting trap of the tilting platform type and outer which the animals will be effectively retai ed after being caught and from which they may be easily removed.

i The above and, other objects of the-invention are attained in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective vlew ofthe improved trap; Fig. 2 is a vertical section; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. e i The invention comprises the body 1 preferably of cylindrical form and disposed vertically to provide upper and lower compartments 2, 3which are separated by a cone or funnel-shaped partition l, the latter projecting downwardly and having an opening 5 at its small end. The top of the body or receptacle, and hence of the upper compartment 2- is closed by a tilting platform 6 of circular shape arranged for swinging movement upon a pivot rod 7 which passes diametrically through it The ends of the p vots 7', 8 are bent at right angles to provide cranks 8, 9 and are adapted to engage bearing openings or recesses 10, 11 formed at opposite points in theupper edge of the body 1 so that the platform 6 may be readlly re- ,moved. The opening 10 is arranged adjacent to the upper edge of the body and 1s adapted to receive the crank 8, which latter may be readily inserted in and removed from said opening by inclining or tiltrng the pivot and turning it, as will be readily understood. The other bearing opening or. recess 11 is in the form of a slot formed at a diametrically opposite point in the upper -.5 edge of the body and 1t is adapted to re-' -ceive'the other crank 9 on the pivot the latter being retainedin said bearings. 0,11 by a catch hook12 pivoted at 13 6n oneside of the body and adapted to,engage'the'crank 9', as clearly shown'in Figs. 1 and 2.

The tilting platform 6 is maintained in a horizontal position to close the top of the body by means of a centrally disposed weight 14: depending from its bottom and formed integral with the shank 15, which pro'ects through acentral opening in the plat orm and is retained therein by the pivot 7 which passes through a transyers' opening in said shank. The upper end of the shank 15 pro: jects above'the top of the platform'andisf'zo; shaped to provide an integral bait hook or prong 17 on which suitable bait may be" fas-I tened.-' a f r The lower open end of the body 1 is closed by a bottom 18 which is hinged at one side, as shown at 19,.and provided at its opposite side with a spring catch 20 to engage a, keeper projection 21 onone side of the body. The body or receptacle 1 of the trap may be made'of suitable size which depends upon a the size and kind of the animal to be caught by it. It may be made large and laced 'on the ground at a suitable location or catching large animals or it may be small and set in the floor of a barn or other building for catching rats and mice. 1

It will be seen that when an animal ste s upon the platform 6 in its efi'ort to reach t e bait on the prong or hook 17 the platform will tilt and-drop the animal into the upper chamber, or compartment 2 and upon the funnel-shaped partition 14, which latter, be: ing constructed of tin or other materialhav ing a.smooth upper surface, will prevent-the animal from taking a foot holii and will cause it to pass throughthe" opening 5an into the compartment or chamber 3 from which latter the animal cannot escape,

owing to the sha e'ofzsaid partition. j As soon as the anima. drops from the platform 6 the wei ht I l-will return it to its normal horizonta position. When. it is desired to body having open ends with a. bearing slot and a notch oppositely positioned at its upper end, a tilting platform positioned in the upper end of the cylindrical body, a crank positioned transversely through the platforrnand extending through the slot and'notch With its extremities turned downwardly and outwardly to form crank portions, a shank extending vertically through the center of the platform and secured upon the crank, the shank having a Weight upon its lower end and a bait hook upon its upper end, means carried by the cylindrical body for engagement with one extremity of the crank to hold the same stationary, a centrally apertnred partition dividing the cylindrical body into upper and lower compartments, and means for closing the lower end of the lower compartment.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afilx my signature in the presence of h 'o witnesses.

HARVEY L. TR UTA).

Witnesses C. A. TRULL, V. C. MoIN'r RE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington D. O. 

